Essex Interiors

If you furnish your home with silver leaf furniture, you really want it to be the star of the show. That means choosing a colour palette for your walls that complements the furniture and allows it to become a focal point of the room. So should you go for more shimmering silvers or mix it up with some colour thrown in? Just think carefully about the overall look you’re trying to achieve and it’s easy to let that silver leaf furniture shine!

Velvet sofas and Chesterfield couches look fabulous in any home. But a velvet sofa covered in stains doesn’t quite make the grade. So how best to clean your sofa? After all, many homeowners aren’t sure of the correct way of doing so, and incorrect cleaning can cause more problems than you started with. Having said that, once you know how to clean your velvet sofa, it’s easy to look after. Here’s what you need to know:

Flick through any interiors magazine at the moment and one colour will jump out at you: silver. It’s sleek, it’s shiny and it’s chic: it’s not just its tone that makes it cool, silver is very much ‘en vogue’ at the moment. What’s more, silver is so very versatile, and it’s easy to make it work for you.

There’s something so glamourous, yet still so inviting, about a crushed velvet silver sofa. The warmth of the fabric instantly adds a softness to any room, yet the colour is stylish, contemporary and very of the here and now. It’s also a great colour to complement with accessories and furnishings. Be brave and add a splash of colour, or mix and match shades of grey to create the ultimate in French chic.

There is a certain opulence, sumptuousness and – dare we say it – je ne sais quoi to French furniture. It’s pretty and ornate, yet functional and practical too, and can be used to a greater or lesser extent to add a unique touch to your home. And when the opulence of French furniture is combined with a beautiful silver leaf finish, the effect is simply stunning. Think chic but lavish, radiant and impressive: silver leaf furniture can add an ambience of glamour to any household.

Where the dining room of the Victorian and Edwardian eras was much the domain of the gentleman, so the drawing room was where the ladies would congregate. Here's a little bit about the charming history of the drawing room, and how to create the effect in your period home. Continue reading →

How often do you sit down during the course of the day? Whether you’re at a desk, in the car, on public transport, at home or in a park, chances are at some point, you will settle down into some sort of seat. But have you ever thought about the origins of the chair? How did it come about? When did it come about? And what journey did it take as it evolved over the years?

This is exactly what we will be exploring in this post, and we start our investigation right back in the 16th century. Continue reading →

Did you know that much of the furniture we have today in our homes and offices has evolved from the chest?

The chest has got to be one of the most versatile and practical innovations throughout the history of furniture. Originating in Ancient Egypt and taking its journey through the Italian Renaissance period, the humble chest has borne us an array of furniture from tables and desks through to chairs, wardrobes and tables.

In this post we’re taking a look at the origins of the chest, how they were crafted and the furniture they inspired. Continue reading →

The history of the desk makes for an intriguing read, particularly if you appreciate fine furniture, like we do. In part one of this two part series charting the history of the writing desk, we started our tour in the Louis XIV era and then onto Louis XV before crossing the pond back from France to England and taking a look at the development of the bureau during the reign of William III and Mary III before signing off with Queen Anne and the sophisticated secretaire.

Here in part two we are moving our journey on through the Chippendale and Regency periods and taking a look at the origins of the partner’s desk, as well as investigating the route desk history took as the Art Deco era dawned. Continue reading →